Friday, October 27, 2017

Exarsis – New War Order

Exarsis is exactly the type of band that is
somewhat a victim of their time. If they had been around in the 80s, they would
be forever hailed as a hidden gem of the era because of their distinctive
sound. Instead, as a modern band, they sometimes seem to give off a cartoonish
vibe to their music that likely doesn’t jive for thrash purists. Look beyond
the era, however, and you’ll find a band that manages to stand out without
radically altering the thrash formula. “New War Order” is their fourth such
effort, and while I can’t claim to be overly familiar with their back
catalogue, it is a worthy addition nonetheless.

The band’s current fame is somewhat due to
their erratic singer. High-pitched vocalists are not uncommon in thrash, but
this guy is completely off the rails. He switches between an underdeveloped
harsh vocal, and totally insane air raid siren screams. Much of his lines are
delivered in the latter style, though he switches between the two seemingly at
random, making for an even more out of control sound. If you can’t deal with 40
minutes of a Greek madman shrieking at you, Exarsis is not the band for you.

With this in mind, it’s easy to lose sight
of the music, but Exarsis excels in this realm too. They don’t reinvent the
wheel, but they opt for a rhythm-intensive brand of thrash that would put even
the most experienced riff gods to shame. The band’s guitarists love throwing
gallops into riffs, making even the simpler riffs more complex. The band has
little patience for anything other than thrash, rarely slowing down or letting
up. The result is a series of songs that hit incredibly hard, causing immediate
whiplash.

“New War Order” wouldn’t be complete
without all of the other staples of thrash. Gang vocals are in high supply,
though they are admittedly outclassed by any of the frontman’s shouts. Social
and religious commentary is likewise prominent (both the album cover and the
song titles should give that away). As always though, it is the quality of the
riffs that matters most, and Exarsis has no shortage of great riffs. The songs
have their memorable moments, but as the band’s sound is one-dimensional, the
real value comes from the unrelenting thrash assault. Regardless, Exarsis is so
effective at creating musical mayhem that “New War Order” is an essential
purchase for all modern thrashers!